Where Do Children Keep Their Favorite Letters From You?

Hanna (age 13)

“I keep my letters right here (over a cabinet with her books) so I can easily reach them because I sometimes read them over and over. I also think it’s safe here when we get flooded.

“I feel special whenever I receive a letter. My sponsor always checks if I’m doing well and if my mother is doing well. She knows that my father just passed away recently. I am happy that she is checking on us.”

Shane (age 6)

“Shane keeps his letters right here in this plastic cabinet because I think this is the prettiest thing in our house,” Shane’s mother Sheila shares.

“I always tell my son to be inspired and try to do well in life for the sake of his sponsor. I get inspired too. I hope Shane could finish college and have a relationship with God and be inspired by his sponsor.”

John Paul (age 12)

“I keep my sponsor letters in a brown envelope in this cabinet because this cabinet was a gift from my sponsor. [The letters] mean I have someone who cares for me in a faraway place. I love receiving them.”

John Paul’s mother, Carmelita, shares, “My son’s sponsor is a great blessing to us. He has given a family gift twice already and with that we were able to repair our home, our walls and floor, and bought two cabinets including this one. His sponsor knows our struggles because I am a single mother. I raised all my 10 children by myself. I work hard and I am thankful for the help from his sponsor.”

John Paul (age 12)

“I keep my sponsor letters in a brown envelope in this cabinet because this cabinet was a gift from my sponsor. [The letters] mean I have someone who cares for me in a faraway place. I love receiving them.”

John Paul’s mother, Carmelita, shares, “My son’s sponsor is a great blessing to us. He has given a family gift twice already and with that we were able to repair our home, our walls and floor, and bought two cabinets including this one. His sponsor knows our struggles because I am a single mother. I raised all my 10 children by myself. I work hard and I am thankful for the help from his sponsor.”

Daniel (age 10)

“I used to keep my letters in a box, where I also kept the drawings I made at the center. But one day the box got wet and damaged, so I put my letters in a folder and put it inside of a plastic bag in order to protect them from damage. My sponsors are like a family for me.”

Camilo (age 7)

“I used to keep the letters from my sponsor in a gift bag, but on my last birthday, my mom put the letters and pictures on the wall with pictures of my parents and me. I can see my sponsors every day on the wall and it makes me happy.”

Supakan (age 10)

Supakan’s favorite way to spend long, rainy days is to pore over her letters from her sponsor. Wedged between a pile of blankets and the glass, she keeps her letters in an unconventional way so she can see them easily. This cupboard is the only piece of furniture in the whole house.

Souleymane (age 9)

“My mother stores my sponsor’s letters in a big dish with a cover. Mice and termites cannot destroy my letters in this container. They are my treasure that I cherish. I love the photo of Spiderman and a tiger they sent me as well as many drawing books.”

Mariam Chantal (age 16)

“I keep my letters in a small suitcase together with my important documents like school records and my birth certificate. My letters are safer in this suitcase than somewhere else in the house, and I love to read them very often. I am happy to hear from my sponsors through letters and know that they love and think about me.”

Cyrille (age 14)

“I love to keep my sponsor letters in two places. Recent letters are stored in a drawer of a wooden cupboard in our living room. I put the older letters in my old school bag that also contains my old school books. I love to look up the photos and I try to read their language. It makes me smile to feel important and loved through their letters.”

Kimberly (age 9)

“I keep them in a shoebox that my aunt helped me decorate. Because there my letters won’t get lost and are safe. I like it when they send stickers. They make me feel special with their words. I love my sponsors and hope they come to visit me again. They love me and I love them too.”

Joscelyn (age 10)

“I delicately pin them on a foam board. Each time I receive one I rearrange them all. It reminds me about my sponsors and that I love them very much.

“The words they wrote to me when my dad passed away last year were very comforting and help me to get through this hard time. That’s why I keep my letters on display on my board because they are a reflection of my sponsors’ love to me.”

Alexa (age 15)

“In a box I covered with pink paper at age10. It was after I received my fifth letter that I decided to put them in a safe place.

“I treasure my letters because they fill me with joy. I know it’s hard because one of my sponsors passed away a year ago. Now, his wife keeps writing to me and is very special. I never imagined that this could ever happen. I pray for my sponsor and I tell her to stay strong.”